Band: BLACK DOLDRUMS Who: Dark psychedelic outfit formed by Kevin Gibbard and Sophie Landers
in London, who produce a contemporary form of gothic post-punk.
Renowned British music monthly UNCUT described their sound
as: “A fierce combination of post-punk, reverb, drone and melody.”
The record is the final chapter of the State of Mind Trilogy. A three-album
exploration of the psychological forces that shape identity, memory and
human connection, which began with their 2022 debut Dead Awake
followed by 2024 LP In Limerence.
At the heart of it all is the creative and personal partnership between founding
members Kevin Gibbard and Sophie Landers, whose relationship forms both the
emotional foundation of the record and the lens through which its themes are
explored.
Gibbard: “The songs are either about
Sophie, for Sophie, or inspired by her.”
Unquestionable standout from the Irish indie
stars’ much applauded 4th LP Romance.
TUTV: Intense jam, rollin’ on with a bone-chilling flow and
frontman Grian Chatten raps all over it with his characteristic
uptight parlando and grasping for his breath every time the
refrain comes on.
Part of their upcoming 5-track EP
that’ll land early next year.
“Progress is a song about changing places, people and times.”
TUTV: Epic. Grandiose. Staggering. Amplified guitar-pop at its mind-blowing best.
One of those not-everyday puissant killer tracks overwhelms your emotions
from the first spin.
Piece from their forthcoming second longplayer, baptized Never Exhale. It’ll hit the streets on 25 January 2025.
TUTV: Taximan does your head in the way we, brainbangers, like it.
Bam Bang Boom. No mercy for the wicked. Manic mayhem as usual.
You’d better check out if Robert ‘Travis’ De Niro is behind the wheel
before taking a cab.
The song is about rediscovering old lovers after a night out from disco(theque) to disco(theque), with references to The Pogues’ Shane MacGowan and his excessive
drinking, and a legendary Belgian crooner.
TUTV: Full steam ahead from the get-go. All engines on. Decibels up, amps up.
The breakneck speed and the relentless synth/percussion riff make your head
spin 360°. I dare you to catch up with this missile all the way.
Band: LAMBRINI GIRLS Who: A two-motor punk bulldozer from Brighton, UK who have built
a notorious reputation over the past 2 years, on record and on stage.
Cut from the duo’s upcoming debut LP Who Let The Dogs Out. Out next year, on
January 10.
TUTV: Without a shadow of a loud doubt, one of the grrrlz’s best stormers so far.
An amazeballs wall-of-nasty-guitar/bass hullabaloo, a ruthless octopus drummer
and Phoebe‘s best vocals. Hell-tastic.
‘True love is nothing more than the wrong hill to die on”.
TUTV: The jaw-dropping vitality these volcanic Irish beatniks develop here is off the charts. They build a near-unbearable tension and explode insanely, time after time, along the rough ride. Vocalist/songwriter Karla Chubb knows terrifically well how to double your adrenalin production.
TUTV: Dog Dribble operates somewhere between Yard Act and Sleaford Mods.
Its limbs-activating groove is simply irresistible. Get up, stand up, and fight
for your right to bounce up and down like mad.
Band: FAT DOG Who:South London-based gang that made thousands
and ‘true love is nothing more than the wrong hill to die on”.
thousands of ears go bonkers with their first-rate debut
longplayer Woof.
TUTV: A ballistic disco-punk whopper to end and start all (il)legal
raves with. When the huge orchestral injections blast out of your
vibrating speakers you know that these misfits are your new
favorite dogs. Hallelujah!
One of the stellar singles from their
new, third, album Insight.
TUTV: Drums and bass team up for an incessantly beat that carries
this instantaneously infectiuos trip, along with a magnetizing Cure-esque guitar riff that gets you in a trance.
Truly hypnotizing from start to finish with velvety vocals
and darkwavish synths in the back adding a twilight tone.
TUTV: No, this is not a New Order song but it could easily be one, actually a stellar one. Summer Breeze sparkles from the very start to finish with scintillating guitar riffs, zealous percussion, shiny synths and Gibbard‘s eager vocals. It’s a pure pop pearl for all seasons.
Artists: ARROWS OF ATHENA (Boston, MA) Who: A pandemic project that found its two main players – multi-instrumentalist and producer Scott Lerner and vocalist and lyricist Jac-Lyn Gibson – reuniting after the latter spent some time away from music, Arrows of Athena are crafting a distinct sound on
their own terms, bridging usually disparate ends of the pop and rock spectrum for an illuminated sound of big dance beats, heavy riffs, and melodic intensity.
On this song the duo explores the mental and emotional work required
for a successful marriage, and how we’re often careless with love.
TUTV: I’m quite sure that Arrows Of Athena are huge fans of former Swedish glam and glitter pop duo Roxette. The bliss and blitz at play on Reckless Heart is sonically similar. Sizzling guitars, battering drums/bass grooves, sensuous vocals and a peppy chorus combine here for a power pop pearl that flames lustrously. Orchestral melodiousness, fiery 90s spirit, and musical. An invigorating joyride.
TUTV: This is a psychedelic shoegaze stunner, a multi-layered symphony
propelled by about a thousand guitars, a mindboggling bass riff, and combative
drums, while Rebecca Dow‘s ghostly vocals come from another galaxy.
TUTV: What’s in store for humankind. Nuclear war or peace and free love?
Or will we be just another brick in the wall? Whatever happens, never stop
pirouetting yourself dizzy to Leg Puppy.
We don’t need your education
We don’t need no your thought control
TUTV: The most energetic, exciting, pizzazy band around. Cooking on record and on stage. Sultry garage rock for party animals. This is my absolute favorite of this years Boomerang LP. Chipper tune.
TUTV: Think Cypress Hill fronted by Zack de la Rocha, rattling like
a rapid-fire riot-gun. An avid anthem that celebrates freedom and
invites you to shout along while pumping your fists in the air.
TUTV:Hallelujah rages against the anti-LGBTQ
haters with knives between their teeth and an
unstoppable drive.
“To express oneself, now expressly forbidden/ That’s a spiritual hell, that’s
a new prohibition/ And they’ll boil you down to reproductive function/ When
they see you as a vessel and not as a person!”
Track: Anna Save A Life
. TUTV: A manic motherrocker from a duo who sound as a 4-motor hit-and-run team. Riff-o-rama all the way while bashing drums do your head in. Garage punk ‘n’ roll at its filthy best. Call your own Anna and challenge the anti-decibels police.
TUTV: Wham bloody wham bam. Expect a sharp-splitting punk rock juggernaut. Amps up and full steam ahead. No rest for the wicked with this razor-blade cutting, head over heels bombshell spiced with sneering vocals. Wham bloody wah-wah guitars bam. Scrunched Up Fist hits your face really hard. Hurry-scurry stroke.
Band: SOFT SKIES INC Who: Philadelphia-based identical-twin duo and longtime musical confidants Ryan and Martin Rex, their shared sonic compass draws a straight line from the
classic alternative of their youth to the modern alternative and dream-pop of
today.
A song of hope, riding those tender waves of nostalgia, understanding that a loss of innocence comes with age but that we emerge from the other side with newfound perspective and awareness.
Melodic guitar pop at its Sebadoh best. Uptempo shoe-slacker-gaze
spiced with scintalling synths and ethereal vocals. Start dreaming in
overdrive.
TUTV: Just Like Everybody Else is a glorious, full-orchestrated pop gem, that transfers you in an eye/ear blink to a sonic dreamland with its affecting melodiousness, riveting chorus and warm-hearted vocals. Three highly-entertaining minutes and twenty seconds with Spielmann
Band: BABY SCHILLACI Who: Welsh alt-act producing a raw, unfiltered sound. Rooted in post-punk
and noise, the band’s aggressive yet intricately layered compositions evoke
comparisons to seminal acts like Mclusky, At the Drive-In, and Fugazi.
Track: BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA
From their upcoming debut album
‘The Soundtrack’ out next week.
A barbed slice of mayhew. Think Sonic Youth going forth
and back, and finishing with a flabbergasting finale.
Band: BLACK DOLDRUMS Who: British synth-pop-Goth trio, with key
members Kevin Gibbard and Sophie Landers.
Track: SUMMER BREEZE
Song from their their second longplayer In Limerence which lands on October 18.
No, this is not a New Order song but it could easily be one, actually a stellar one.
It’s a pure synth-pop pearl for all seasons. Uplifting, heart-warming, and gratifying.
The high-octane rock ‘n’ roll explosion tells the darkly humorous and gripping tale of a woman who has taken drastic measures against a deceitful lover. Noanne ventures into uncharted emotional territory, portraying a dramatic shift from dependence to outright animosity—and beyond.
Band: SOME REMAIN Who: Young punk gunslingers
from Ireland.
Track: DEATH DEFYING STUNTS
The first taken from an upcoming EP
slated for release early 2025.
Not only does it defy death, it pretty much defies description as it takes you on a glorious and wild ride through early UK punk (Read About Seymour – Swell Maps) and surf rock (Miserlou – Dick Dale) with some Dr Feelgood and The Cribs thrown in for good measure.
“A hectic party tune that leaves you feeling like you’ve
just landed a sick kickflip over a tank of sharks.”
CC have that uplifting drive of the Levellers and the eurythmic catchinesss of Mumford & Sons. Wash Away The Day is a brisk pop tune going forth and back, from
low-key to vivacious and back, while ardent harmonies and energetic violins complete
the swirling sonic picture.
Band: SOFT SKIES INC Who: Philadelphia-based identical-twin duo and longtime musical confidants Ryan and Martin Rex, their shared sonic compass draws a straight line from the
classic alternative of their youth to the modern alternative and dream-pop of
today.
A song of hope, riding those tender waves of nostalgia, understanding that a loss of innocence comes with age but that we emerge from the other side with newfound perspective and awareness.
Melodic guitar pop at its Sebadoh best. Uptempo shoe-slacker-gaze
spiced with scintalling synths and ethereal vocals. Start dreaming in
overdrive. Right here.
Nicks: I wrote this song a few months after Roe v Wade was overturned. It seemed like overnight, people were saying ‘what can we, as a collective force, do about this…’ For me,
it was to write a song. It took a while because I was on the road. Then early one morning I was watching the news on TV and a certain newscaster said something that felt like she was talking to me ~ explaining what the loss of Roe v Wade would come to mean. I wrote the song the next morning and recorded it that night.”
A vehement pro-reproductive rights anthem that
overwhelms on the chorus. Nicks‘s impressive voice
lights in the middle.
The first composition of the Goth icons’ upcoming 14th LP, their first
in 16 years, titled Songs Of A Lost World. It’ll drop on planet Earth on
November 1st.
Alone is an almost 7-minute funeral march, a slowly progressing lament, layered with mourning synths. Smith only starts singing halfway and augments the sombre atmosphere all the way through. After a couple of spins the songs keeps on coming back to haunt you. Sonic cure for restless minds.
Band: JOHNNY MARR AND THE HEALERS Who: Short-lived (2001-2004) Johnny Marr project
after he left The Smiths.
Track: THE WAY THAT IT WAS
Previoulsy unreleased song from the deluxe
reissue (released last week) of their one and
only album, named Boomslang.
A sweet 18-carat pop diamond with a melancholic resonance and impassioned
and affecting Marr vocals. No idea why this gripping reverie was hidden for so long,
but happy that my ears can enjoy it today. The Way That It Was wouldn’t have been
out of place on The Verve’s 1997 classic ‘Urban Hymns‘.
British synth-pop-Goth trio BLACK DOLDRUMS – with key members Kevin Gibbard
and Sophie Landers – launch their second longplayer In Limerence on October 18
via Fuzz Club Records. Info here.
It’s co-produced by Theo Verney (English Teacher, TRAAMS, Egyptian Blue), on which Black Doldrums’ moody gothic post-punk is at its purest and most atmospheric. Delving into themes of regret, loneliness, confusion and obsession, it’s little wonder that the
album title is ‘In Limerence’ – a state of intense, all-consuming romantic longing: “There
is a constant theme of trying to find happiness in a confusing modern world. In a time of protest, this album is itself a protest by expressing how to feel in such a world.”
Following spine-chilling lead single Hideaway we
get a second rad taster, named SUMMER BREEZE.
Kevin Gibbard (frontman/guitarist): “This song could easily be called ‘second chance’.
It’s not really about summer but summer breeze is used as a metaphor for a period when
given a second chance and a sense of optimism is felt after meeting Sophie. A breath of
fresh air.”
New album artwork
TUTV: No, this is not a New Order song but it could easily be one, actually a stellar one. Summer Breeze sparkles from the very start to finish with scintillating guitar riffs, zealous percussion, shiny synths and Gibbard‘s eager vocals. It’s a pure pop pearl for all seasons. Uplifting, heart-warming, and gratifying. Embrace it with your ears, heart and soul.
London’s post-Gothic-punk minds BLACK DOLDRUMS with
key members Sophie Landers and Kevin Gibbard launched their
debut album release DEAD AWAKE a couple of weekes ago
(stream/buy below).
Turn Up The Volume said: The duo combines the haunting drive of the early Joy Division days the swirling guitar psych-o-billy of Danish duo The Raveonettes
with the lights out, and . a couple of sonic tranquilizers to the mix ) that put your
confused mind to rest. Black Doldrums love the midnight hours and so should you.
One of the full-length’s highlights is Dreamcatcher. An impeccable post-punk trip with glimmering guitars trippin’ around an addictive melody and shadowy voices floating all over it.
Who: Psychedelic shoegaze duo featuring Kevin Gibbard & Sophie Landers producing darkwave soudscapes with an intense, rebellious approach, merging rock ‘n’ roll with euphoric, contemporary psych. More about these most thrilling musicians in the
interview Turn Up The Volume had with the pair last year. You can read it here.
EP: METEMPSYCHOSIS – the term refers to transmigration of the soul, especially
its reincarnation after death. The doctrine of metempsychosis arose in ancient
Greek philosophy, and has been recontextualised by modern philosophers such
as Arthur Schopenhauer and Kurt Gödel. The word also plays an important in James
Joyce‘s classic modernist novel Ulysses and is also associated with Nietzsche.
Info: The duo had completed writing their debut LP and planned to head into the studio
in April 2020. As lockdown took effect however, recording was put on hold. With additional time on their hands, the outfit decided to retool five of their previously issued tracks to create the remix EP.
Black Doldrums about the EP: “The approach to this record was to simplify these songs,
allow some space and reveal the roots of the songs, finding the spark that ignited our interest
in writing them the first time around. Going back to the original stems from the studio we discovered so many interesting parts that never made the final record. This time around we were able to explore those sounds more and the songs to have a whole new feel. The process has helped us develop a different approach to making music. Something you’ll see come together for our debut album”.
Score: Lock yourself up, safely, in your basement, dim the lights, put on your headphones and turn up the decibels. Soon your mind will travel to another stereo dimension where you can experience close sonic encounters of the third kind fueled by reincarnated beats and ongoing, repetitive Brian Jonestown Massacre like jams with an otherworldly effect. A fitting soundtrack for the surreal times we live in. Anything can happen when your soul goes on a remixed ride.
See at first the rapid-eye-movement clip for the droning Palingenesis Remix of It’s A Dandy Massacre…
London‘s psychedelic shoegaze duo BLACK DOLDRUMS is singer-guitarist Kevin Gibbard and drummer Sophia Lacroix. Early last month they released their second, spellbinding EP titled ‘SHE DIVINE’. A haunting record that has a magnetic and puzzling impact on your inner stereo system. Its multi-layered reverberation is capable of messing up your mind and soundtrack your nightmares. Enough reasons to have a chat with this pretty awesome duo about poet Allen Ginsberg, ‘The Good The Bad and The Ugly‘, Ancient Egyptian symbolism and much more cool stuff. But let’s start the acquaintance with some hypnotizing music. Here’s one of the new EP’s highlights ‘Mae’s Desire’…
Hello Kevin and Sophia, thanks for making time for this interview…
1. When did BLACK DOLDRUMS hit the scene and what’s the story behind the band’s name? KG: “We got the name Doldrums from a poem Allen Ginsberg wrote to Jack Kerouac called ‘The Denver Doldrums‘. It was referred to in the book ‘On The Road‘. I identified with the book and the relationship of two people and liked the phrase ‘In the Doldrums‘.” SL: It’s a double meaning for me as it’s also an area of the Atlantic where weather conditions are eerily calm or really stormy, which I think fits our music and the way it’s structured well.”
2. Which track would you play as an introduction to your music to people who never heard of you ? KG: “I’d say ‘Mae’s Desire‘ covers a lot of what we do in terms writing and sound.” SL: “I still like ‘There Is No Eye‘, we’ve had it as the opening song to our live show for about a year now and I think we placed it there because it’s a good intro to us but also escalates as the song goes on.”
3. Your 2018 debut EP called ‘SAD PARADISE’ has that pitch-black spellbinding wall-of-sound that makes the hairs in the back of my neck stand up. What sort of vibe/feeling is it that you want to express/communicate with that sound? KG: “I do believe the best songs kind of write themselves so it’s hard to say what we want to express specifically as the song kind of has a life of its own. When writing we like to explore and experiment so I suppose we like to escape with music but then control it enough to say something relevant. I suppose we want it to transport you a bit but not so far that it doesn’t mean anything. It has to mean something. We want our music to be layered and have a certain depth to it but also instantly grabs you.” SL: “For me, I feel that it’s important to communicate something to your audience through music and that can be completely interpreted any way the listener wants to. All of our songs have meaning and are pulled from different stories, experiences and events, but we write them in a way that leaves it completely open to the person listening because then they can make their personal connection.”
https://open.spotify.com/album/2PYwEzYStpwW64AUaiNqD5?si=N8rhlbmJQLSfrV9NhRXg4w . 4. Now the excellent new 5-track EP ‘SHE DIVINE’ is out. Are the songs connected in any way or rather individual compositions? KG: “They are essentially individual compositions but as most of them are written around the same time they do have the odd reference to similar themes and inspirations that were around us at the time. It can be a particular theme or something we’re reading at the time. I also remixed ‘Those with a Rope Around Their Neck‘ for the last track on the EP, so they are definitely connected.” SL: “There’s some occult and religious references in there”.
5. The artwork for the EP puzzles me. Who designed it and what’s the idea/story behind the image? SL: “I design all of the artwork for our material, videos, posters, merch, etc. This one was taken from a photo of Batty May Golding, who inspired ‘Mae’s Desire’. We focused in on the defensive position of the arms around the shoulders and it represented more intense emotion than her face, which is equally as interesting. I used the colours in reference to the ones used on ‘Sad Paradise‘, although slightly different, I wanted to keep a theme there as the EP’s are supposed to almost act as a part 1 and 2.”
6. One of the EP’s track – last year’s single – is brilliantly titled ‘ THOSE WITH A ROPE AROUND THEIR NECK (DON’T ALWAYS HANG). Impulsively I thought about Nigel Farage and his lying gang who mislead the British people regarding the Brexit referendum. Are those the sort of people you wrote that song about? KG: “Yeah pretty much. It’s about the accountability of people’s actions and how these people always seem to get away with it. It came from watching ‘The Good The Bad and The Ugly‘ whilst playing guitar. The film covers rough justice pretty well which I liked and at the time in the news there was a lot going on about Tony Blair’s Iraq trial plus I was obsessed with Dylan’s ‘Masters Of War’ so there you have it.”
7. The video clip for title track ‘SHE DIVINE’ brings characteristic retro psychedelic footage to mind. It could have been one of Pink Floyd’s early 60s clips. Why did you opt for this kind of visualization? KG: “I think we’re pretty much influenced by a lot of the 60’s counter culture and it just seems to fit. We aim for a multi-layered sound which adds a bit of colour to our music so the video is a way of heightening this aesthetic.” SL: “When I was making the video for ‘She Divine’ I wanted to focus on the idea of divine and the divine feminine. The visuals in the video tell the story of Ra, the Egyptian Sun God and brings in elements of the goddess Isis, of ma-gick, healing and protection, also the phoenix which features a lot on Ancient Egyptian symbolism. I wanted to mix that in with imagery of us and have a mirror effect to illustrate what you put out there is reflected back at you.”
8. Suppose you were asked to play a movie, that expresses your music visually, on a big screen behind you while playing a show which one would it be? KG: “Any one of the films from the ‘Man With No Name‘ trilogy.” SL: “Maybe ‘Lucifer Rising‘ by Kenneth Anger.”
9. What song and/or album did you hear so far that will end up in your best-of-the-year-list? SL: “Something new that was released this year? L’Epée‘s album Diabolique is really good, although I recently discovered Erykah Badu, who’s been around for a long time, but I’ve never really gone out of my way to learn who’s big in hip hop and r & b, but she’s really cool, she does a lot of jazz/rap/hip hop. She’s a witch as well.”
10. Next step for BLACK DOLDRUMS? KG: “We’re currently writing more material and putting plans in place for recording an album. We’ll also be touring UK and EU next year.”
Thanks, Kevin and Sophia for the cool chat. May the road rise with BLACK DOLDRUMS!
London’s psychedelic shoegaze duo BLACK DOLDRUMS will launch their new EP ‘SHE DIVINE’ on 6th September. Ahead of it the pair already shared its evocative and high-poweredtitle track.
And now a second track of the EP is revealed. ‘MAE’S DESIRE‘ is a haunting stonker that thunders non-stop, pushed by bloodthirsty drums and echoing guitar flamboyance. Its stormy pace and bewitching impact will mess up your hungry mind the way you like it, both disturbing and bizarrely attractive. This is another winner. Check out the fever right here…
Clips that will have an impact on your eyes and your ears…
23 August 2019
London’s psychedelic shoegaze duo BLACK DOLDRUMS release their new EP ‘SHE DIVINE’ on 6th September. Ahead of it the acclaimed pair released its title track as a single. The evocative song refers to Aldous Huxley’s 1954 masterpiece The Doors Of Perception and the tragic story of Betty May Golding, a 1920’s singer, dancer and model who was a member of the London Bohemian set.
‘She’s Divine’ is a high-powered and dynamic sockdolager. Its lively beat, zestful drive and reverberant vocals result in a haunting sonority that will affect your aural reception. And the accompanying video clip will impact your visual perception. Listen/watch here…
